Primary Care
AANP Resources by Therapeutic Area
Continuing Education Courses
The AANP CE Center offers a wide variety of continuing education (CE) activities for nurse practitioners (NPs). Members of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) get more, including access to many free activities and significantly discounted rates on others. The activities are updated frequently, and more than a dozen primary care-related options are currently available.
JAANP Resource Center
Find evidence-based articles, up-to-date guidelines and other resources about pediatrics at this resource center, brought to you by the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (JAANP).
AANP Clinical Brief
Tackling Therapeutic Inertia Utilizing Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Diabetes Prevention and Optimal Management
This clinical brief equips NPs with a comprehensive, evidence-based overview of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for individuals with and without diabetes. It explores CGM technology fundamentals, reviews clinical evidence across diabetes types and highlights emerging applications in metabolic health and preventive care. Emphasis is placed on the NP’s critical role in interpretation, patient education, shared decision-making and expanding CGM access amid growing health care disparities.
This activity is supported by an independent medical educational grant from Abbott Diabetes.
NP Tools and Resources
3 Minutes Make a Difference — Evidence-Based Strategies for Shared Decision-Making in Clinical Practice
Learn how just three minutes of meaningful dialogue can strengthen trust, improve outcomes and support patient-centered care. Empower your patients to make informed, evidence-based choices through shared decision-making (SDM). This infographic highlights key SDM principles such as choice awareness, values clarification and partnership building — and provides practical communication models like the Three-Talk Model, Ask-Tell-Ask and the 5A’s Framework.
A Clinician’s Guide to Medical Misinformation — Issue 1: Recognizing Real vs. Fake
Medical misinformation is a serious threat to public health. Therefore, limiting the spread of inaccurate health information is imperative. This clinical guide is intended to aid NPs in recognizing potential avenues for misinformation, avoiding common pitfalls and providing strategies for addressing inaccuracies in clinical situations.
This tool is supported through an independent educational grant from Kenvue.
A Clinician's Guide to Medical Misinformation — Issue 2: Evaluating the Evidence
This tool provides a structured framework to help clinicians critically assess scientific evidence, ensuring that clinical decisions are based on credible and methodologically sound data. It offers a step-by-step approach to evaluating the reliability of information sources, identifying potential biases and recognizing red flags such as conflicts of interest or flawed methodologies.
Key Features:
- Source Credibility Assessment: Categorizes sources as high, moderate or low credibility based on peer review status, institutional affiliation and transparency.
- Bias and Conflict Evaluation: Identifies selective reporting, undisclosed funding and promotional content disguised as science.
- Methodology Review: Helps assess whether studies are based on empirical data, systematic research and reproducible results.
- Decision Algorithm: Guides clinicians through a logical evaluation process to verify information before incorporating it into practice.
This tool is part of a three-part series supported by an independent educational grant from Kenvue. It serves as a practical resource for nurse practitioners and other health care providers navigating the complexities of health misinformation.
A Clinician's Guide to Medical Misinformation — Issue 3: Communication is Key
“A Clinician’s Guide to Medical Misinformation: Issue 3” is a practical, evidence-based communication resource designed to help clinicians navigate sensitive conversations with patients influenced by medical misinformation. This tool emphasizes empathy, cultural awareness and structured communication strategies such as the 3 Es (Engage, Empathize, Educate), the 5 As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange), motivational interviewing, elicit–provide–elicit and teach-back. It includes example phrases and frameworks that foster trust; explore patients' beliefs and motivations; and promote informed, respectful dialogue. By blending scientific rigor with cultural sensitivity, the guide empowers clinicians to affirm patient values while correcting misconceptions and encouraging evidence-based decision-making.
Key Features:
- Source Credibility Assessment: categorizes sources as high, moderate or low credibility based on peer review status, institutional affiliation and transparency.
- Bias and Conflict Evaluation: identifies selective reporting, undisclosed funding and promotional content disguised as science.
- Methodology Review: helps assess whether studies are based on empirical data, systematic research and reproducible results.
- Decision Algorithm: guides clinicians through a logical evaluation process to verify information before incorporating it into practice.
This tool is supported through an independent educational grant from Kenvue.
Adopting and Implementing Adult Pneumococcal Vaccination in Your Clinic
Adult pneumococcal vaccination rates remain suboptimal, with 1 out of 3 adults age 65 and older being unvaccinated. NPs can make a tremendous impact on the numbers of adults who have their appropriate vaccinations. This tool will guide you through the process of making a plan to increase adult pneumococcal vaccination rates in your practice and walk you through a step-by-step approach to implement a pneumococcal vaccination program.
This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.
Allergy Billing & Coding Guide for Serum Specific IgE Lab Tests
This quick-reference tool supports NPs in selecting accurate ICD-10-CM codes for serum-specific IgE laboratory tests. Emphasizing precise documentation, code specificity, and careful use of exclusion notes, this quick reference helps reduce payer denials and ensures appropriate reimbursement. This resource empowers NPs to deliver evidence-based allergy care while protecting practice efficiency and financial sustainability.
This educational tool is developed by AANP and is supported by educational funding from Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Deciphering the Disease-Modifying Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease
The emergence and availability of disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) make it critically important to diagnose the disease before irreversible neurological damage accumulates. This educational tool provides the NP with practical guidance and information about cognitive evaluation in older adults, patient counseling, nonpharmacologic therapies and pharmacotherapies. Helpful resources are provided for the NP to continue their learning about the diagnosis and management of AD.
This tool is supported by an independent educational grant from Eisai.
Implementing Lipid-Lowering Therapeutics in Your Clinical Practice: A Practical Guide for the Nurse Practitioner
The AANP Clinical Resource Tool for Lipid-Lowering Therapeutics empowers NPs with practical, evidence-based strategies to optimize cholesterol management and reduce cardiovascular risk. Designed as a quick reference guide, it highlights guideline-directed statin and nonstatin therapies; clinical pearls for improving adherence; and tips for overcoming common challenges such as side effects and insurance barriers. With actionable insights and patient-centered approaches, this resource equips NPs to confidently implement lipid-lowering therapies and improve long-term outcomes in their practice.
This activity is supported by educational grant funding provided by Amgen and Novartis.
Management of IgE-Mediated Food Allergies
This educational tool on food allergies, developed by AANP and supported by Genentech, outlines current best practices for managing IgE-mediated food allergies. It emphasizes a proactive approach centered on early allergen introduction during infancy, which has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of allergy development — especially for peanuts and eggs. The tool reviews evidence from major studies (LEAP and EAT); recommends age-based introduction strategies for low- and high-risk infants; and highlights the importance of regular allergen consumption to maintain tolerance. It also details FDA-approved therapies such as oral immunotherapy (PTAH) and the monoclonal antibody omalizumab; explains how to recognize and respond to allergic reactions including anaphylaxis; and offers practical guidance for patient counseling, epinephrine uses and emergency preparedness.
The NP’s Guide to Helping Patients Reach Lipid Targets
This practical handout for the NP includes helpful information about the evaluation of patients with lipid abnormalities, risk assessment and treatment decision-making, and strategies for mitigating and managing side effects of statins. Resources are provided for managing the cost of medications.
Supported by an educational grant from Novartis.
Integrating Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccination Into Clinical Practice
This clinical tool supports NPs in identifying and counseling older adult patients at risk for severe RSV-related illness. It provides quick-reference guidance on key risk factors, current vaccination recommendations and effective communication strategies to address vaccine hesitancy. By incorporating the "ABCs of RSV Vaccination" and a patient-centered dialogue framework, NPs can streamline vaccine assessment and delivery, promoting equitable access and improved uptake during every patient encounter.
This educational activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from GSK.
Talking About Vaccinations in the Patient-Centered Medical Home: A Role for Everyone
This clinical tool supports NPs in promoting vaccinations through a team-based approach across all stages of the patient visit. It offers practical strategies for integrating vaccine discussions into workflow, addressing hesitancy and reinforcing strong recommendations. By engaging the full care team, NPs can help create a consistent, pro-vaccine message that improves patient uptake.
This educational activity is supported by independent medical educational grants from GSK, Merck & Co., Inc.,
Moderna and Sanofi US.
Patient Education Tools and Resources
Aging, Cognitive Changes and Alzheimer’s Disease
This FAQ-based educational handout is designed to support NPs as they engage in discussions about aging, cognitive changes and Alzheimer’s Disease with their patients and their loved ones. Content includes helpful information about normal age-related changes in cognition and of those that may be related to dementia, along with a summary of self-help activities and resources.
This tool is supported by an educational grant from Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.
Plan Ahead for Hypoglycemia
Every person living with diabetes and also at risk of hypoglycemia needs to have a plan in place to manage the condition when it occurs. This practical and informational handout will facilitate conversations about hypoglycemia planning between the NP and the patients with diabetes for whom they provide care. The checklist format enables patients to easily keep track of things like the expiration date of and where they store their glucagon; the availability of fast-acting carbohydrate treatments, etc.; and the ability to share this information with their friends and family.
This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Shingles Vaccination Handout
This visually engaging educational handout will facilitate shared decision-making conversations between NPs and patients regarding shingles vaccination. The handout provides information about shingles presentation, the course of the disease, potential complications and vaccination.
This tool is supported by an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline.
Type 2 Diabetes and Kidney Health
This practical and informational handout has been created to facilitate shared decision-making conversations between the NP and their patients about T2D and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The checklist format enables users to easily keep track of information like recent kidney and diabetes lab tests, blood pressure readings, CKD stage and kidney-protective medications. In order to optimize kidney health, an individualized plan of care — incorporating lifestyle changes, treatments and referrals — is included.
This activity is supported by an independent medical educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company.
AANP Community
Engage, Learn, Network and Progress Practice in Pediatrics
The Primary Care Specialty Practice Group (SPG) offers a unique opportunity to interactively collaborate with colleagues who share an interest or clinical expertise in primary care. As an SPG member, you’ll have access to a cutting-edge, online forum where you can engage in discussions, document sharing and knowledge exchange with fellow NPs. Come learn, share and help progress the development of theory and practice in primary care.
External Resources
Conveniently Curated Information From Other Top Sources
There are many resources available for both patients and providers. Some are listed below for your convenience. Inclusion of these links does not imply AANP endorsement.
- The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines.
- Johns Hopkins Menopause Mobile App (iPhone, iPad and Android).
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Contraception Mobile App.
- The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) Well Women Visit Mobile App.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Prevention TaskForce Mobile App.